On Thursday, October 23, the French students in J2 took the train to Paris. We were accompanied by Ms. Zilles, her sister, and Mr. d'Allard. On the first evening, we explored the neighborhood and had dinner together. After a short night, we started Friday's program full of motivation. The starting point was on the Île de la Cité (the cradle of Paris) at the “new” Notre Dame Cathedral, for which you have to wait in line... but it's worth it! From there, we set off to stroll across the Île Saint-Louis. In the afternoon, we stopped in the courtyards of the Louvre (really, no ill intentions!) and then walked along the Axe historique with a few stops until we reached the Arc de Triomphe. During the stops, we listened to presentations (Pecha Kucha ?) by our classmates. After seeing the typical tourist attractions such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower, we had some free time. Saturday started with the Marais district and the Place des Vosges, which we were allowed to explore on our own. Later, we went from the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Stravinsky Fountain by Niki de Saint Phalle to the Musée d'Orsay. The late afternoon was dedicated to the Père Lachaise Cemetery, where many famous personalities are buried, including Oscar Wilde, Chopin, and Edith Piaf. We spent the evening together at the Art Nouveau restaurant Le Bouillon Chartier. After returning to the hotel, all that was left on the agenda was packing and sleeping. On the day of departure, we visited the Musée Rodin. After a wonderful and eventful few days in Paris, we made our way home by train.
On behalf of the J2 French classes,
Marit L. and Noa M.
